A Cord of Three Strands

Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Alison Spiker and Grant Morris met in 2006 during a College Bible Study at Wesley United Methodist Church in Morgantown. What began as friendship deepened as they shared their dreams of answering God’s call to healing and mission work.

Grant and Alison shared with the Foundation the story of the how God has transformed their lives through mission work. Service in this field was something Alison had never experienced, but Grant had served on a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission work team to Guatemala when he was a freshman in college (2003). This experience left a lasting impact on his life, so much that he convinced Alison to go on a VIM work team with him in July 2008. They told us that, “During those two weeks in Guatemala, our relationship with each other was deepened, and more importantly our faith in God was strengthened.” They both now feel a call to be involved in medical mission work.

Alison and Grant, who are both students in West Virginia University Medical School, were married in December of 2010. Grant has served on mission trips to Guatemala twice and once to Mississippi; Alison has been to Guatemala twice. They plan to serve on medical mission teams throughout their lives.

The verse from Ecclesiastes 4:12 has special significance to the couple because they have always said it’s “the three of us.” They told as that, “God is at the center of our hearts and at the center of our relationship, which has been strongly influenced by our experiences on mission trips.”

Through prayer, the couple consider the possibilities of how they could share the blessing they had received with other young people. Understanding the transformational effect of service through mission work, Grant and Alison have created the Spiker – Morris Three Strands Youth in Mission Scholarship Trust at the Foundation. The couple asked that friends and family members who desired to celebrate their wedding with a gift make a donation to the Trust.

The Trust will fund a scholarship for youth to join work teams with the West Virginia Annual Conference Volunteers in Mission. Alison and Grant pray that recipients of this scholarship will deepen their relationship with God through sharing His love in service on a mission trip. In a discussion about the Trust, Rev. Tom Clark, the Volunteers in Mission Coordinator, said, “Fundraising for VIM is dramatically harder now, and this scholarship is needed.”

If you would like toconsider the possibilitiesof an endowment to fund the transformational ministry that is close to your heart, please contact us.